Where to get Free Stock Photos / Images for your web site

One of the most challenging hurdles that faces a web developer is where to get images / photos to use on a web site, due to copyright laws.The last thing a developer needs is for him/her or their client to get slapped with a law suit due to violating the copyright law that may exist on an image innocently used.

Fortunately there are various stock photo databases in existence on the Internet where developers can download and use images, royalty free and even public domain stock photos.

Important Rule of Thumb:Wherever you find images or stock photos, always check the Terms Of Use or Licensing page. This way you will know for sure whether you are allowed to use that image for the project you have in mind. Abide by their terms and stay legal!

Very important:Using Google’s Image Search does not constitute the right for using any given image. I for one, will not use any image found in Google’s Image Search. I will however use it to give me ideas of what type of image or photo I should look for in an image or stock photo database.

With regards to people in any photograph The use of their likeness for commercial advertising requires a consent agreement. If a person is recognizable in an image, a model release must be obtained before using the image for commercial purposes. In principle, if you sufficiently modify the photo so that individuals are no longer "recognizable", in other words, blur the face, it should be okay to use... but having said that, be careful..

Here’s a list of sites you could find free stock photos or images to use. Again, I stress that you check their Terms Of Use or Licensing Pages to guide you.

My rating of these websites are in no way to be construed as discrediting that website in any way whatsoever. It's based on how I experienced it overall including but not limited to the following: How easy it was to find a specific image, the friendliness of the site-layout, the speed, the leniency of their licensing polcies and above all, the quality of the images / photos. The fact that I took the time to list it, already defines it as a valuable resource, so no offence meant. I suggest that you investigate each site yourself to verify if it meets your requirements and your intended usage meets their requirements. :)

Free Stock Photos for both Personal and Commercial Use (Some require link-back):